1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to game apparatus and targets, and more particularly, to targets in combination with electronic circuitry and a scoreboard by which impacts on the target will register on the scoreboards, and still more particularly, to such targets, circuitry, and scoreboards in combination with an all-weather golf driving range, a fairway enhancing snow removal and ball retrieval, driving booths in which the environment is controlled, and means for registering the longer drives.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Several driving range structures have heretofore been proposed which have devices for the collection of the golf balls and/or the return thereof to the tee area. These structures have included nets, sloping surfaces, and the like. Additionally, enclosed tee areas provided with heaters have been used in conjunction with driving ranges. Still, it is desirable to provide an all-weather driving range construction having improved means by which the balls are collected and returned to the tee area, means for removing from the fairway surface snow, ice and the like, and an improved driving booth in which the environment can be controlled in both summer and winter. It is highly desirable such a structure be relatively simple in construction and economical to build.
There have also been a variety of targets proposed. Some of these targets are useful as driving range golf greens. However, none of these targets are combined with a scoreboard and impact responsive devices by which the scoreboard registers a score in response to an impact on the target. Such targets when used as golf greens are susceptible to a plurality of impacts by a single ball resulting from the ball bouncing on the green. It is therefore highly desirable to provide not only a target having impact responsive devices and means for driving a scoreboard, but such a target equipped with signal selecting circuitry whereby only one signal is generated by any one ball impacting on the target and the remaining bounces of the ball on the green are not recorded on the scoreboard.
It is further highly desirable to provide a driving range structure incorporating the greens above-described and an electronic golf game by which competing players may accumulate a score. Such would enhance the interest in golf.